Subaru went all in with the 2019 Forester, and it really paid off. When you add up the fresh, modern look, all that interior space, a little bit of extra power, and loads of updated safety tech, it’s hard not to be mesmerized by this amazing piece of machinery. Of course, looks and features are only half the story, though. What about the experience of being behind the wheel? How does the Forester handle quick maneuvers? How is it for long trips? Well, we spent some one-on-one time the 2019 Forester, and this is our experience.

Foreser Exterior

Foreser Interior

Drivetrain Specifications

Foreser Driving Impressions

The Forester is not looking to please the most dynamic driver out there. You buy a Forester because you need something affordable, reliable and most importantly all-wheel-drive. But the Forester also offers its own special perks to the driver. First one being the incomparable greenhouse effect, that feeling of openness that only tall windows all around you can provide. Many buyers these days are going to SUVs for their higher seating position and commanding driving feel. But with the Forested you get all this without seating too high up and carrying a ton of weight around you. To describe it I'd say that it feels like a regular size sedan fitted with the roof of an SUV.

The new interior design and choice of material are great. You can still feel the Subaru touch but improved in a good way. The two-tone interior in our tester looked nice and clean. The big sunroof brings tons of light. The only issue there is the sunshade is manual and it is not easy to push it all the way back, and even less to bring it back from all the way back there. But hey you have a nice panoramic sunroof!

Some ergonomic issues are worth mentioning. So many buttons and all at very awkward places. I am not sure I need the steering wheel heater button, on the steering wheel. Then there are the entertainment centerS, yes with an S. There are two of them. They offer plenty of screen real estate but the logic on how to use them is just disturbing. I don't even think the top screen is needed at all. As always you can get used to it, but the competition is doing it better.

The steering feel is good but the tall body and soft suspensions remind you that comfort is the top priority of this vehicle. Again you don't buy this to drag race, and even less go to the track.

Now let's talk about the gearbox situation. The 2019 Forester engine is good, even surprisingly good for the size. Unfortunately, the CVT gearbox attached to it is a perfect example of why CVT have a bad reputation with enthusiasts. But when you need a little more power, the CVT behavior comes out. The now infamous 'rubber band effect' is the best way to describe it. Picture this, the light turns green, you floor the gas pedal to the ground, the engine revs up to max rpm but you don't feel acceleration right away, only after a second you feel the car accelerating, but slower than what the engine noise tells you, and then you really get going. But by then you have looked twice at your gauge cluster to see what the hell is going on with the engine noise until you remember you are driving a CVT and that all this is 'normal'.

I am very critical of the CVT, but I can understand why it is there. The Forester is targeting buyers who want to enjoy an affordable and practical all-wheel drive vehicle. And if you drive on poor pavement, under the snow this is certainly a great choice.

I could not test the all-wheel-drive system in the nice Florida weather, but I really enjoyed my time driving the Forester. It felt very unique and cool in its own way. And if you are commuting to work or head to the grocery store at speed under 45mph like most of us, this is actually a very cool car to drive. And that word 'car' is important because it doesn't feel like a wagon or an SUV, and that is a good thing.

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